Yohji Yamamoto

Deconstructing (and then reconfiguring) traditional clothing and silhouettes has always been an essential component of Yamamoto's work, and this season he addressed the issue head-on. A simple white dress opened his show; a virtually identical one, adorned only by a black ruffle on the front followed it; next, it developed a sleeve and side section. Eventually, of course, the outfit was completed with two sleeves and shoulders, though Yamamoto never quite got around to the back. The effect was stunning, as were the beige full skirts with elaborate pleats and voluminous ruffles, feather umbrellas, trench coats and preciously embroidered tops in the lightest possible shades of orange, purple and green. It takes a master of nuance to pull off such a delicate collectionand Yamamoto did it faultlessly.